Chapter 26
<Wasn’t This a Strategy Game Chapter 26>
Someone dove at Asmun before the golem’s fist could reach him, wrapping around his body and rolling sideways.
Bang!!
The golem’s fist smashed down where Asmun had just been, creating a crater and making the ground shake violently.
Little pieces of stone flew out from the golem’s punch. One of them landed on the shoulder of the person lying on top of Asmun, causing a small groan to escape.
“Ugh!”
Until that moment, Asmun had been frozen, unable to grasp the situation. He looked at the person lying on top of him, who was none other than Eden.
“…Priest?”
Panic spread across Asmun’s face as he recognized that Eden was the one lying on him. Luckily, Asmun was safe. For now.
“Ha…”
I had almost witnessed Asmun die right in front of me. Relief flooded through me at the sight of his unscathed face, and I felt like I could burst into tears, but I couldn’t afford to take it easy just yet.
“The sole is the weak point!”
Asmun furrowed his brows at the sudden shout. He looked at Eden, who was clearly confused about the situation while noticing the golem swinging its fist toward them in anger.
Asmun quickly grabbed Eden’s hand and started running like lightning.
“Kraaaack!”
The furious golem thudded after them, shaking the ground with every step, as if the world was about to end.
“No, it’s the sole, I tell you!”
Even while being dragged by Asmun, Eden continued to shout.
“The fist is a trap!”
Finally, Asmun fully grasped what Eden was trying to say. There was no time for doubt, so he yanked Eden’s hand, throwing her far behind him, and turned around to raise his sword.
Thud, thud, thud!
The angry golem was charging at terrifying speed. Asmun knelt to minimize wobbling, focusing on the golem’s foot that was coming down on him.
“…!”
Just as Eden had said, a real magic circle was glowing green right in the middle of the golem’s enormous foot. Asmun gripped his sword with both hands, aiming precisely at that spot.
Soon, the golem’s massive foot came crashing down onto Asmun.
“Heh…!”
Eden covered her mouth, knowing that her information couldn’t be wrong. She felt as if Asmun might be crushed and die right there, causing her heart to race in panic.
But even as the shadow loomed over him, Asmun kept his eyes open, and the golem’s foot pierced right through the point of his sword.
“…!”
In that moment, the golem’s relentless movement came to a halt. Eden held her breath, watching the scene unfold as if it were frozen in time. The golem’s gigantic foot was precariously suspended above Asmun’s head.
And then it happened in an instant. The golem’s body turned to dust, scattering as if it were a lie. The narrow gorge was instantly enveloped in dirt.
“Ugh…!”
The enormous cloud of dust made it impossible to see a single inch ahead. Eden lifted her arms in a weak attempt to shield her face from it, but stubbornly kept her eyes open. She had to confirm that Asmun was safe.
A terrifying silence flowed through the gorge, one that had seemed unimaginable just moments ago.
“……”
Eden also held her breath, peering through the swirling dust. Finally, in what felt like an eternity of silence, Asmun’s figure began to reveal itself.
“……”
Asmun, still holding his sword high, appeared completely unharmed. Seeing his shoulders rising and falling faintly, Eden sighed in relief.
“Ha…”
As expected, the bestiary was right.
『<Retargolem>
– Length: 50 feet / Weight: 4,000 pounds
– Golem Type / Super Class
A monster made of blood and stone, an ancient being that requires a living human as a sacrifice to summon. As strong as the blood it consumes, Retargolem’s hard skin cannot be pierced by ordinary means, yet, like any golem, it has a weak point.
The dark sorcerer who created it deceived enemies by drawing a fake magic circle on Retargolem’s fist, but its true weak point is only one: the foot.
Attacking the foot will break the magic holding Retargolem together and cause it to disintegrate immediately.』
I had once again saved Asmun. The tension that had been tightly knotted in my chest melted away in an instant, leaving my legs weak.
Ding.
A tear-inducing achievement notification popped up above Asmun’s head.
『【★】Basic Quest Achieved!
: Rescued Asmun from Kiris’s scheme!
Please choose a reward.
<Prophecy Book / Item / Stat>』
“……”
Asmun, covered in dirt, slowly turned his head to look at Eden. When their eyes met, Eden shifted her gaze from the achievement notification to him.
Asmun caught Eden’s gaze and tried to smile, but there was no strength left in him for that. As his body gave way and fell sideways, Asmun jumped to his feet and rushed to her.
After a long fainting spell, Eden woke up the next day. The first thing she saw was a strange ceiling.
“……”
Blinking in confusion, Eden suddenly recalled the events in the gorge and jumped up. Her body, having been put through the wringer all night, screamed in protest.
“Ugh…”
Fainting again? Just how much strength did I need to build up? I was on the verge of getting angry with my weak body.
“Do I need to get it up to 20 or so…?”
Eden grimaced while looking around. The tall room had a refined look about it. It was definitely not the Great Temple, nor did it seem like the Imperial Palace.
Where am I?
While she pondered over this, someone knocked on the door.
“If you’re awake, I’ll be coming in.”
The low voice was familiar. Soon, the door opened, and Asmun walked in.
Eden unintentionally tensed, scrutinizing Asmun. Unlike the dusty figure from yesterday, he appeared quite neat now.
Eden quickly glanced down at herself. Only then did she realize she was no longer in dirty priest garb but rather in clean, comfortable white clothes, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. Asmun quietly resolved her confusion.
“I had a maid help you wash up. If left untreated, your wounds might get infected.”
At his words, Eden looked up with a flustered expression.
“Wounds?”
“Looks like you’ve got some cuts from the flying stones.”
Ah. Thinking about it, she did feel sore in various places. But since she’d saved Asmun, these little wounds were nothing.
“Where is this place?”
“This is my mansion.”
At those words, Eden’s eyes widened.
Have I returned to the capital already?
Suddenly, the Emperor popped into her mind.
“What about His Majesty…?”
“He is safe.”
Ah…
With Asmun’s nonchalant reply, Eden completely relaxed. So Asmun was safe, and the Emperor was too. That meant she had effectively thwarted Kiris’s attack.
“That’s such a relief.”
Finally letting out a sigh of genuine relief, Asmun stared at her intently.
What exactly is a relief? That the Emperor is safe? Or that I am safe?
“……”
Asmun recalled the events of yesterday. The bewildering emotions he felt at the moment he faced Eden’s gaze didn’t fade easily.
He knew well that she had almost met her death. And he knew that the threat of death had not been looming only over her.
Asmun’s gaze remained on the small cut on Eden’s cheek.
“By the way.”
When he began to speak again, Eden raised her head.
“How did you end up there?”
At that question, Eden flinched and froze. Asmun was looking at her intently.
Only then did Eden realize she had done something very suspicious. Although it had been unavoidable for her, still…
“Well… I received a prophecy.”
“Even so, Hamun didn’t transfer you to Leveim.”
Asmun jabbed directly at the heart of the matter with his typical flat tone.
“That’s…”
Eden stumbled over her words and ultimately confessed.
“I had a teleportation scroll…”
But that backfired. Asmun frowned as if he couldn’t believe it anymore.
“…You had a teleportation scroll?”
Teleportation scrolls were incredibly valuable and rare. Given that they were produced in small quantities at the Magic Tower, even wealthy nobles couldn’t possess them freely or use them at will.
It was hard to believe a mere Apprentice Priest would possess such an item.
‘Damn it. I’m a sinner even after saving you, a sinner again.’
As Eden racked her brain quickly, she couldn’t come up with a plausible excuse.
“Well… I just happened to get one.”
Eden said, avoiding Asmun’s gaze while giving a half-hearted excuse. Naturally, such a vague and awkward answer wouldn’t satisfy Asmun.
‘Crap, what do I say?’
While Eden was wracking her brain to come up with a story about the scroll’s origins, Asmun replied quietly, watching her.
“I see.”
Huh?
His unexpected response made Eden turn and look at Asmun. He was still fixed on her, yet for some reason, there was no hint of suspicion or wariness in his gaze.
He added firmly.
“Understood.”
Eden blinked in slight confusion. Asmun’s expression had relaxed, almost as if he was letting it slide. It seemed he wouldn’t question her further on the matter.
“……”
While she was grateful, it would have felt strange to thank him in this situation, so Eden was left speechless. The unexpected consideration made the air in the room awkward for a moment.
Then Asmun stepped closer towards the bed where she was sitting.
